A comprehensive redesign of Rocabella Mykonos reorganizes the hotel as a sequence of sheltered paths, cave-like spaces and planted terraces, using stone, timber and earth-toned surfaces to establish a coherent identity across the existing complex.

The redesign of Rocabella Mykonos by Eleftherios Ambatzis began in 2022 as a comprehensive transformation of a hotel complex originally developed from 2000 onwards. The intervention encompasses the reconstruction of its interior and exterior spaces, the addition of new rooms and functions, and the reorganization of uses within the existing building fabric.

The project takes its conceptual cue from the hotel’s name—Rocabella, meaning “beautiful rock” in Italian—and from the granite formation that originally dominated the site. Part of this rock was excavated during earlier construction, while fragments remain dispersed throughout the communal areas. The new design draws on this geological reference to create spaces that appear carved into the terrain.

 

A sequence carved into the landscape

The spatial organization develops as a network of paths, corridors and changing levels rather than as a single continuous hotel volume.

These routes connect spaces of different proportions, degrees of enclosure and levels of privacy. Their irregular sequence evokes a system of cavities within the rock, alternating between protected interiors and openings towards the landscape.

The circulation becomes part of the hospitality experience itself. Narrower passages expand into terraces and communal areas, while changes in level generate a gradual transition between more exposed and more protected zones.

This organization gives the existing complex a clearer identity without relying on a uniform architectural gesture across every part of the site.

 

Different rooms within a common language

The guestrooms are deliberately differentiated from one another, following the idea that each occupies a distinct cavity within the “beautiful rock”.

Their configurations vary according to orientation and position, yet all maintain a relationship with the exterior. The spaces remain protected from the strong sun and wind while opening towards views of the sea, Mykonos harbour, Delos and Rhenia.

Behind the white Cycladic exterior, the interiors shift towards a warmer and more tactile palette. Timber and stone are combined with earth-toned cement-based finishes that extend continuously across walls and other interior surfaces.

The repetition of these materials creates visual continuity between rooms and communal areas despite their varied spatial configurations.

 

Stone, timber and continuous surfaces

Material choices reinforce the relationship between the architecture and the rocky landscape.

Existing and newly introduced stone surfaces retain a direct, textured character, while timber provides a warmer counterpoint. A continuous cement-based finish in muted earth tones brings together walls and built-in elements, reducing visual fragmentation within the interior.

Rather than relying on decorative references to Cycladic architecture, the design establishes its identity through mass, texture, shade and a limited range of materials.

This quieter interior language contrasts with the bright white exterior envelope and strengthens the perception of the guestrooms and shared spaces as protected environments within the larger complex.

 

Rocabella Villa

Alongside the redesign of the existing guestrooms, the project introduces Rocabella Villa, a separate residence with a private swimming pool.

The villa remains connected to the communal facilities of the hotel while maintaining a greater degree of privacy and independence. Its inclusion expands the range of accommodation without detaching it from the architectural language of the rest of the complex.

The relationship between shared amenities and private retreat reflects the broader spatial strategy of Rocabella, where the degree of exposure, enclosure and interaction changes gradually across the site.

 

Planting as part of the redesign

The landscape intervention plays an important role in the overall transformation.

New planted roofs and additional landscaped areas are introduced around the hotel, while previously unused parts of the site are planted with native cacti. The vegetation reduces the visual presence of the built surfaces and reintroduces planted areas within the densely developed complex.

Planting is therefore treated as part of the architectural reorganization rather than simply as an ornamental layer.

Together with the white volumes, stone surfaces and fragmented circulation, it helps establish a closer visual relationship between the hotel and the dry Cycladic landscape.

 

A unified identity

The central objective of the redesign is the aesthetic unification of a complex that had undergone successive alterations since its original development.

Rather than treating each room, communal area or outdoor space as an independent intervention, the project introduces a common spatial and material vocabulary across the hotel.

The network of sheltered paths, cave-like interiors, planted areas and earth-toned materials also responds to the climatic conditions of Mykonos, creating areas protected from sun and wind while retaining visual contact with the surrounding landscape.

The result is a hospitality environment organized around a gradual alternation between enclosure and openness, communal activity and privacy, built surfaces and vegetation.

 

The project was first published in print in ek299 | July–August 2025, in the INTERIORS section. 

Lightness and Transparency

On a corner plot in Glyfada, with a southwestern orientation and openness toward the sea, Divercity Architects designed a residential building composed of three floor apartments and a two-level residence at ground level. The project responds to the conditions of the Athenian Riviera, where the Mediterranean climate encourages the daily use of outdoor space and turns balconies, terraces and gardens into essential parts of domestic life.

The building is developed through an architecture of slabs and large glazed surfaces, seeking a balance between light and shadow, view and privacy. Rather than treating the façade as a fixed boundary, the project uses it as a layered interface between the interior, the city and the surrounding landscape.

Balconies, Views and Filtered Privacy

Large openings and continuous perimeter balconies define the main façades, giving the residences a sense of transparency and lightness. The apartments open toward the view while remaining protected through a system of movable shading elements that filter sunlight without obstructing the visual connection from the interior.

These light shading screens create moments of privacy and allow the façade to change throughout the day. Their movement and material expression mediate between exposure and retreat, making the exterior envelope responsive to climate, orientation and inhabitation.

 

 

Vertical Gardens as Spatial Filters

A series of vertical gardens is integrated into the balconies, separating shared from more private zones. These planted elements introduce greenery into the experience of urban living, while also supporting the creation of a more favorable microclimate around the residences.

At night, the gentle lighting of the vertical gardens transforms them into luminous markers within the building’s composition. Their presence produces a subtle play of shadows and reinforces the dialogue between architecture, planting and atmosphere.

White Geometry and Precise Detailing

The clean white geometry of the envelope and the careful handling of details give the building a sense of clarity and duration. The architectural language remains restrained, allowing the contrast between solid slabs, transparent surfaces, planting and movable screens to define the project.

This balance gives the building a timeless quality, avoiding excess while supporting a generous mode of living. Light, air, shade and view become the main materials of the residential experience.

 

 

Ground-Level Residence, Water and Greenery

At ground level, the two-level residence is framed by water and planting. A large swimming pool defines the outdoor living area, while the perimeter planting visually connects the plot with the dense vegetation beyond its boundaries.

The result is a building that extends domestic life outward, using terraces, gardens and shaded thresholds to connect the apartments with the climate and landscape of Glyfada. Transparency and lightness are not only formal qualities here, but conditions of inhabitation.

Urban upgrade

Along the axis that, from antiquity to the present day, connects the port of Piraeus with the center of Athens, Pireos Street, a concrete building of approximately 10,000 m² has been constructed, accommodating a fashion company alongside office functions.

 

Design Philosophy

The design of the building seeks to address two critical issues of the contemporary city: the maximization of greenery in relation to the built environment and the optimization of its environmental performance. The architectural composition is articulated through the coexistence of two distinct volumes: a single-storey retail space of 1,300 m² and a five-storey office building in an L-shaped configuration that encloses it, forming a clear boundary towards the adjacent structures and Pireos Street.

The roof of the ground-level volume is transformed into an intensively planted green roof, functioning as an elevated urban garden for both employees and the city. In this way, the project introduces a new topography, where greenery extends vertically, redefining the user’s relationship with the environment.

 

 

Spatial Organization

Employees benefit from a direct visual and functional connection to the garden, ensuring privacy and distancing from the noise of the busy urban artery. At the same time, ramps leading to the planted roof, in combination with the geometry of the curved volume, establish a spatial continuity that connects the ground level with a higher, publicly accessible plane.

The façades is differentiated according to orientation through shading systems such as louvers and stainless-steel mesh, regulating solar exposure and reducing thermal loads without compromising outward views. Each surface is conceived as an active filter mediating between interior and exterior conditions.

 

 

Sustainability & Technology

The green roof is maintained year-round through an automated irrigation system that utilizes rainwater collection and reuse tanks. The storage of significant water volumes supports the survival of the vegetation even during the summer months.

In parallel, the use of air-to-ground heat exchangers – large underground ducts – allows the introduction of naturally tempered air, contributing to the building’s microclimatic performance. A Building Management System (BMS) controls lighting, ventilation, and air conditioning, as well as window operation and internal shading, ensuring optimal indoor comfort while achieving substantial energy savings.

The project embodies a holistic approach to sustainable design, where architecture, technology, and landscape converge into a cohesive system that redefines the contemporary workplace.

 

Urban recovery

The architectural proposal for the adaptive reuse of the iconic Mínion department store in the center of Athens posed a significant challenge, as the restoration of its extensive, abandoned shell became an opportunity for a design approach with a clear narrative and morphological intent.

 

Design Philosophy

The central design idea interprets the historical layering of the urban block, shaped over time by the gradual consolidation of different properties during its operation as a department store. The selection of a three-color palette for the façade’s functions symbolically, subtly alluding to the composition of the individual buildings. In this way, the project establishes a dialogue with the surrounding urban fabric, expressed through a distinctly rationalist and understated rhythm.

Particular emphasis was placed on redesigning the base of the building. Through a pronounced shift in architectural language and typology, the arcades along the street frontage were shaped with arches, evoking a more commercial and urban Athens of the past. The varying geometry of the openings responds to the existing structural framework, preserving the building’s constructional identity.

 

 

Functional Organization

The new “double” envelope consists of two layers: the inner one is organized through the rhythm of the openings to maximize natural daylight, while the outer one is formed by a grid of colored metal shading panels. The composition draws references from Athenian rationalism, modernism, and the city’s neoclassical heritage, adding depth and a three-dimensional expression. The engraved “Mínion” logo, carved into the marble cladding, marks the building’s renewed identity with respect for its past.

 

 

Bioclimatic Design

Bioclimatic principles inform the entire project. More than 97% of the load-bearing structure was preserved, reducing demolition and the embodied carbon footprint. Automation and management systems for lighting and climate control were implemented, achieving significant energy savings, while the use of low-emission materials enhances the building’s sustainable character. The green roof, planted with Mediterranean vegetation, improves the local microclimate. Now accommodating both commercial and office uses, and achieving an excellent environmental performance certified with LEED Gold, Mínion is reintroduced to the city not as a memory, but as an active, sustainable chapter of its urban future.

 

Gentle Adaptation

The hotel in Santorini, characterized by its clean geometric forms, embodies a distinctive built environment harmoniously integrated into the natural landscape, maintaining a dynamic dialogue with the island’s traditional architecture.

 

Design Philosophy

Occupying a site of approximately 17,000 m² in the Tholos area of Oia, the project adapts gently to the island’s terrain, defined by soft slopes and a northern orientation overlooking the Aegean Sea and the islands of Ios, Sikinos, and Folegandros. Located about 300 meters from the coast, the design is guided by a principle of respectful integration with the landscape. All buildings are single-story, following the contours of the ground, and finished in tinted plaster derived from local volcanic soil in a red-ochre hue that echoes the color of Santorini’s rock formations. Each unit was designed to enjoy unobstructed sea views while the building volumes provide natural protection from the strong northern winds typical of the summer months. These parameters shaped the siting, scale, and orientation of the entire complex.

 

 

Spatial Configuration

The composition forms a play of interlocking geometries, with shifting axes and angular edges that recall the density and rhythm of a traditional settlement – narrow passages and tightly linked buildings reinterpreted in a contemporary way. The resort includes 52 rooms, four of which are suites and two designed for accessible accommodation. Interiors feature expansive surfaces of ceramic flooring and cement coatings in earthy tones, complemented by oak wood details that add a sense of warmth. Embossed wall motifs behind the beds reinterpret local decorative traditions, maintaining the overall design’s dialogue between heritage and modernity. The shared areas include a reception, restaurant, shops, and a spa.

 

 

Planting & Pool Design

At the heart of the complex lies a central pool with an extensive wooden deck that functions as a communal plaza and focal point for the resort. Outdoor pathways ensure smooth and inclusive circulation, particularly for guests with mobility challenges. Vehicle access and parking are conveniently integrated into the design. The landscape features low native vegetation characteristic of Santorini, preserving the panoramic views, along with aromatic plants such as lavender that enhance the sensory experience and reinforce the serene atmosphere of the place.

 

Adaptive reuse

The subterranean residence, situated on the western side of Kea, occupies the site of a compound of old stone warehouses once used for loading goods onto boats in the sheltered bay. Following its last conversion into a restaurant, the complex has been entirely redesigned to meet the needs of tranquil summer living, protected within the earth.

 

Context Integration

Access to the property is from the higher part of the plot, through a light ramp that leads into the ground, establishing the main circulation axis. A glass pivoting door opens into an interior garden with atmospheric lighting from the ceiling, replacing the old dark kitchens. At this point, movement branches off, leading on one side to an integrated living area with a kitchen, dining room, and living room that directly connects to the courtyard through large sliding openings. On the other side, it leads to two ensuite bedrooms behind a curved stone wall with narrow, linear windows and cupolas that illuminate the service spaces. The layout is completed with a guest house adjacent to the bedrooms, featuring a separate entrance and an impressive low horizontal opening that reveals the horizon view from the bed’s height.

 

 

Landscape Design & Materials

The extensive outdoor space, bordering the sea, features a large terrace with an irregular shape following the natural rock lines, discreetly divided into separate sections. The outdoor living area, adjacent to the interior living spaces, is shaded by two tensile canopies, while a tiered path leads directly to the small beach. The area in front of the bedrooms and the guest house is landscaped with low vegetation and side accesses from the interior, hidden behind the stone wall.

Throughout the building, the dominant material is the local natural stone from the original warehouse, giving the structure the appearance of dry-stone walls interspersed with interior and exterior spaces. The floors are finished with cement in a sand color, while the extensive earthen surfaces on the terrace and roof integrate the building into the arid island landscape. Dark shades are chosen for the interior, with partition walls and ceilings painted in modern gray, black metal details and frames, and fixed furniture made of black stone and walnut.

 

 

Furniture & Sustainability

The furnishings are minimal and lightweight, in the same dark tones as the building, except for the central sofa in the living room and the guest house, which are in vibrant orange. The building harmonizes with the landscape through its organic lines, planted roof, and natural materiality. Additionally, it is equipped with an energy management system to minimize its environmental footprint and a household desalination unit to utilize its seaside location without burdening the water reserves of the fragile island ecosystem.

 

Gradual reveal

The residence, located on the road from Parikia to the airport, blends into the natural hillside landscape with views of the islets and rocky outcrops between Paros and Antiparos.

 

Design Philosophy

The design austerity imposed by its underground construction, the orientation, and the panoramic views to the West and the Aegean Sea defined the main axes of the architectural solution. Thus, an internal and external environment was organized to gradually reveal its secrets, bringing the residents into constant dialogue with the built space and nature. An underground residence, by definition, has only one facade. Consequently, the desire for five en suite bedrooms -a master bedroom, a master guest room, and three standard ones- as well as for an open-plan living area with a sitting room, dining area, and kitchen, dictated a linear layout so that all primary spaces could take advantage of the imposing view offered by the location.

 

 

Functional Layout

To isolate access and protect the privacy of the outdoor spaces, a stonebuilt, oval-shaped internal courtyard with an olive tree at its center was created at the left edge of the residence, within the steep natural slope. Access, through an open gate, leads to a sunken recess on the right, where the glass main entrance is hidden from view, becoming a pivotal element of the composition. The entrance hall has a vertical planted opening on its left side for natural lighting and ventilation of the interior, along with a cloakroom and a guest WC, while the entrance to the master bedroom is on the right. Next is the open-plan living area, with a sitting room, dining area, and open kitchen, characterized by two large openings running its entire length.

 

 

Pool Design

One facing the external view and the pool, and the other facing a planted cour anglaise, enhancing the impression of an interior integrated into the external environment. Beyond the kitchen, a long corridor leads to the bedrooms, with the cour anglaise running along the entire left side, giving the sense of moving through a garden. The continuous pergola along the facade and the large openings transform the indoor and outdoor spaces into a unified functional whole. Built-in and wooden partitions under the pergola, between the different indoor spaces, offer the required privacy. The imposing infinity pool, extending almost the entire length of the residence, functions as a cantilevered water surface that visually connects the residence to the blue sea horizon.

 

Organic geometries

The 5-star hotel in Mykonos was conceived around the central idea of the endless motion of the sea’s waves and the creatures that inhabit its depths. Through a series of architectural gestures -including the abstract composition of solid forms, the emulation of natural elements, and the reinterpretation of traditional Mykonian architectural language- the project took its final shape.

 

Design Philosophy

The overall composition evokes the curves of the sea, with the entire building embodying fluidity at its core -as if a giant sea creature had emerged from the earth, shaping the volumes with its body and tail. The building’s organic form subtly references the typologies, shapes, and silhouettes of Cycladic architecture. Elements of the Mykonian landscape -dry stone walls, the sea, rocks, and arid vegetation- have been integrated as architectural details, offering a variety of textures and spatial experiences.

Drought-tolerant plants and palm trees are scattered throughout the property, engaging in dialogue with the building’s forms, while pools in direct contact with the guest rooms create additional water zones that weave through the courtyards and planting. The sculpted geometry of the semi-outdoor spaces encourages a constant interplay of light and shadow, framing views of the surrounding natural landscape.

 

 

Spatial Organization

Inside, the spaces offer a variety of qualities and materials. The sculpted masses evoke pieces of white rock, hollowed out to create functional spaces that meet the daily needs of the temporary guest. Curved forms and white niches serve as shelves or are lined with illuminated membranes, creating unique atmospheres. In the common areas, mirrored surfaces reflect and distort, adding an element of optical illusion.

 

 

Lighting Design

The thoughtful treatment of both natural and artificial light is central to the design. Natural light filters through glass openings, reflected off white surfaces, water, and polished materials, reaching even the underground levels. By night, the illuminated elements come to life, transforming the spaces through shifting tones and hues.

 

Landscape extension

Built in a privileged location with panoramic Aegean views, the house in Vourni is a private refuge of relaxation, only a few miles away from Tinos town. Aiming at its harmonious integration in the environment, the composition balances between local materials and contemporary aesthetics, keeping with simple lines and a functional arrangement.

 

Design Philosophy

The building is designed in one level only, mostly dug underground into the slope, and the roof appears as a natural extension of the hill. The east part of the structure springs out of the rock, perpendicular to the underground wing, providing the courtyard with its desired privacy and protection from the wind, without compromising the impressive sea view. Concurrently, large, south-facing openings allow uninterrupted vistas from the interior.

 

 

Functional Organization

The program includes a dining area, lounge, and kitchen, as well as three spacious bedrooms. The entrance hall is the core of the composition, with two building wings extending from that point. Folding glazing in the front creates a seamless transition between the indoor space and the sheltered courtyard outside. There, the water element of the swimming pool is designed at a linear extension of the entrance access, and end at an infinity edge at the south of the terrace.

The east wing includes two bedrooms, with an atrium opening towards the view at their interval. The master bedroom occupies a prominent position at the southern edge of the house, with immediate access to the swimming pool. The west wing contains the large, integrated lounge and dining area, with the kitchen in the background. The third bedroom, with ensuite bathroom and independent access, may function as a separate guesthouse.

 

 

Landscape Design

The terrace is equipped with an outdoor lounge at the extension of the indoor shared areas, with a dining bench at its western part. The composition and the volumetric arrangement are organized in a way which facilitates the building’s integration into the landscape with the least possible disturbance. The same reasoning guides the selection of materials: unfaced stone is combined with wood and selected concrete elements, resulting in an earthy simplicity throughout.

 

Morphological enhancement

The project involves refurbishing an existing building and transforming it into an office space, with the primary design focus on creating a modern, sustainable complex that has a minimal ecological footprint.

 

Design Philosophy

Internally, the spaces were reconfigured to meet the needs of the new occupants, with modern living conditions ensured through the installation of heating and cooling systems, as well as heat pumps, which provide optimal comfort with minimal energy consumption. Special attention was given to the lighting design, both inside and outside the building. Externally, the structure features post-modernist morphological elements commonly seen in buildings along the main thoroughfares of the capital, such as rectangular moldings and expansive glass surfaces. The top floor features curved openings and balconies along with a projecting solid roof, and was designed to give the building a distinctive presence. However, these elements did not integrate harmoniously into the urban fabric.

 

 

Sustainable Design

The glazing and masonry that defined the facades were deemed inadequate in providing adequate thermal and visual comfort inside. The design prioritized reconfiguring the building’s external envelope to ensure optimal living conditions for the occupants. To achieve this, external thermal insulation was added, and the existing windows were replaced with new, thermally insulated ones, featuring A+ energy classification and high sound insulation glazing. Additionally, a series of perforated white panels was installed 80 cm from the existing facade, reinterpreting the overall geometry of the building.

 

 

Exterior Shell

The new “shell” establishes a modern identity for the building, serving a crucial function as a sunshade that does not obstruct the view, while also providing sound insulation. A lightweight metal structure was added to the roof, visually altering its height and creating an interesting counterbalance, forming a harmonious “crown” atop the solid building volume. The surrounding microclimate was enhanced through thoughtful landscaping and the use of panels designed to reduce glare -a common issue for buildings with large glass surfaces in sun-drenched countries like Greece.

 

Mediterranean atmosphere

Ayia Napa Marina is situated on the southeast coast of Cyprus and can be characterised as the epitome of a high-standard mixed residential development. It includes luxury residences, yachting facilities, seaside restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues. Seamlessly blending public amenities with shared services and private residential spaces, the marina serves as a hub for living, docking, and leisure, capturing the vibrant essence of Mediterranean life.

 

Project Vision

Agia Napa Marina is the realized vision of two investors: Cypriot Gerasimos Caramondanis, through G. Caramondanis Investments Ltd, and Egyptian Naguib Sawiris, with Ora Developers. Addressing the need for an ultra-luxury marina in the Eastern Mediterranean, this project integrates advanced technologies and services and enhances the social as well as economic setting of Cyprus.

The marina offers docking facilities for 360 vessels up to 110 meters in length in the water, 160 vessels up to 10 meters in the Dry Stack, and an additional 80 in the Dry Dock. Located about six kilometers west of Agia Napa, between Makronisos and Agia Thekla beaches, the marina provides a unique fingerstyle berthing service, while the state-of-the-art floating docks ensure comfortable and safe mooring at all times, regardless of weather conditions.

Modern floating piers provide a wide range of services, including water and electricity, WiFi, fibre optics, and fire safety equipment. A special cloud platform allows boat owners to monitor their water and electricity consumption at any time. Additionally, a mobile application enables seamless communication with the marina control centre, where users can report any arising issues.

 

Program Development

The docking area stretches from the eastern part of the development to the villas on the marina peninsula, with an artificial island featuring 12 villas in between. The marina breakwater includes a helipad for direct access to the facilities. At its heart lies the commercial zone, offering dining, entertainment, and recreational options, along with an impressive Event Center.

The project features two iconic revolving towers, visible from both land and sea. The eastern and western towers resemble lighthouses, rising over 110 meters and welcoming sailors, residents, and visitors. Their curved forms are inspired by the Caryatids and sculptures found in archaeological sites across Cyprus. Both towers have T-shaped floor plans with a rotation of about 1.6 degrees per floor, maximizing panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea, the marina, and the coastlines stretching in both directions. The highest floors face east, overlooking some of the world’s most beautiful beaches. The third floor of the eastern tower houses the marina’s Fitness & Spa Center, which extends to a 240m² pool terrace offering unobstructed sea views.

The development features 35 villas: 11 on the beach, 12 on the marina peninsula, and 12 on an artificial island, all situated along private grounds and roads. Each villa boasts a modern, open-plan design, with all main spaces oriented towards the sea. Sliding balcony doors, 2.80m high, seamlessly connect the interiors with terraces, gardens, and pools. The ground floor includes a reception area, lounge, dining room, spacious outdoor areas and terraces. The bedrooms, located on the first floor, have sliding balcony doors that offer uninterrupted views of the marina and the Mediterranean.

 

Recreational Facilities

The terrace is converted into a roof garden with an open outdoor space, while the interior basement is equipped with a kitchenette, toilet, bathroom, maid’s room and an open plan space that can be converted into a playroom. The elegant design incorporates the warmth of wood within a sophisticated palette of materials and finishes. This allows the new homes to be harmoniously integrated into their surroundings. The 4,000 m2 commercial zone, which is the largest in the Greater Famagusta district, is in the heart of the marina, in a semi-circular layout. Reminiscent of a traditional Greek island harbor, it houses shops, cafes, restaurants and leisure facilities that create a lively atmosphere.

The architecture combines local stone with modern stone and glass accents, consistent with the marina’s overall design ethos. An impressive canopy spans across the promenade, which resembles a ship’s hull, uniting the space and offering shade. Shops are strategically positioned near the docks and residential properties. Additionally, the area features a convenience store, a cash machine, offices for yacht purchase and hire, a marine equipment store, and a pharmacy.

At the western edge of the commercial zone stands the Yacht Club, home to the renowned Robuchon restaurants. Adjacent to the development’s western end is the Beach Club, offering direct access to the beach, private cabanas, a spacious infinity pool, and a sheltered terrace. Serving as the marina’s centerpiece, the Event Center encapsulates its vibrant atmosphere. The distinctive glass building, located at the southeastern corner of the commercial zone, is organized in an elliptical floor plan with a conical shape, hosting large indoor as well as outdoor events.

 

Construction Progress

The project spans a total area of 318,535m2, comprising a 146,051m2 port basin and 172,484m2 of land development. Of this, 127,734m2 have been reclaimed from the sea. The project commenced in 2017, with the first phase (including the delivery of the east tower) slated for completion in spring 2023, with a budget of €300,000,000.

When fully operational, the development will feature 220 luxury apartments across two towers and 35 villas in the land zone. Among these, 12 villas on the artificial island and 6 on the marina peninsula will have private berths. The commercial zone is already in operation, offering a unique Mediterranean atmosphere all year round to residents, owners, boat crews and visitors as a new seaside experience.

Natural integration

The complex of three undercut houses is situated in southern Evia, east of Karystos, in the “Sedouki” area, on a steep, south-facing plot.

 

Design Philosophy

The residences occupy the eastern part of the plot, which includes six independent vertical properties, where a building is constructed on three of them, one per property. This design ensures the privacy of each residence, while they collectively appear as a single structure through their architectural configuration. The complex is strategically placed on the hillside, offering unobstructed views of the sea and the surrounding natural landscape. The buildings are naturally integrated into the plot, featuring a uniform morphological approach for both the built areas as well as their respective open spaces.

 

Interior Layout

Each residence includes two bedrooms, a master en-suite bedroom, a living room, a kitchen, and a second bathroom. Additionally, it comprises a private swimming pool with a terrace, built-in sofas, and a barbecue area. Natural light floods all spaces through skylights at the back of the cave houses, while the large openings in the façade offer stunning views of the natural landscape and the sea.

 

 

Materials and Landscape Design

The spatial decorations create a quiet and tranquil environment, offering visitors moments of relaxation. The material and color selections are based on the Greek natural palette, dominated by shades of soil and sand. The landscape design features plants and materials that complement the natural environment, thus avoiding any visual overload.

 

 

Architecture: Lefteris Raviolos & Partners, MRV Architects

Photography: George Fakaros

ek issue: 270 | September 2022

Radical design

The gym resides within a neoclassical building, featuring a distinct balcony adorned with a frieze and ornate balustrade, marble columns and plastered decorations. Its exterior classical beauty is subverted through the interior design, activating a dynamic dialogue between the two.

 

Entrance Design

The ground floor houses the reception and waiting area. The reception is designed as a solid monolithic structure made of large single grey marble slabs, while behind it, dozens of white decorative boxing gloves adorn the backdrop. Across the reception, instead of the typical lounge, there are modern wooden bleacher seats for the visitors. The entrance’s distinctive feature is its illumination, primarily emanating from the large, bright white elastic ceiling, bathing the space in a luminous glow, thus unifying the individual elements and dominating the space.

Lighting is completed by using minimal linear recessed fixtures mounted on the ceiling, discreet hidden lighting on the furniture and large bright letters that give a vivid pop art touch to the space. All floors are connected through the entrance and the main staircase. They are uniformly designed and cladded in black metal mesh illuminated with vertical linear neon lighting, which rigorously outlines the frame of the structure and gives it a strong industrial, contemporary character.

 

Custom structures

The changing rooms and sanitary facilities are located on the second floor, accessed through an anteroom. Illuminated by atmospheric lighting in shades of blue and purple, it exudes an ambiance reminiscent of a scene from a sci-fi movie. Custom metal boxes, made of black mesh, act as display cases for the boxing gloves. Both the women’s and men’s changing rooms have custom-designed structures for the lockers, enveloped in luxury materials. The men’s changing rooms showcase grey marble accents, while the women’s area features white marble. Large mirrors and leather benches further enhance the sense of premium comfort and well-being within the space.

 

Material Palette and Lighting

On the third and fourth floors are the boxing ring and a multi-purpose gym. The ceiling’s steel frame structure is prominently exposed, giving an underground character to both spaces. More specifically, the ring area’s design follows a traditional style. The walls are made of aged brickwork, while dark colors are used throughout the space. Black leather punching bags as well as six large bell-lights hang from the center of the ceiling.

Finally, a separate training area, where boxing techniques are combined with gymnastics and entertainment, has been created in the basement, reminiscent of a club with loud music and impressive lighting effects. Matrix LED lines are placed on the ceiling and walls, creating a dynamic lighting grid with continuous movement, while a series of black glossy water punchbags, suspended from the ceiling, reflect the playfulness of the lights on their surface.

Cohesive enclosure

The 4,800 m2 building includes the new office space, production unit and storage areas for a series of products, of Kikero Hellas (Calpak).

 

Integration with the urban landscape

The 25,500 m2 plot, houses an existing office building, a production unit and warehouses of 3,500 m2. The overarching design principles strive to maximize the building’s visibility from the street and to the visitor, while also presenting its morphological form as a cohesive singular volume, regardless of the diverse functions occurring within its interior

Based on the above, the curved facade was designed to unify the boundaries of the building and highlight both its morphological contrast in relation to the existing structures as well as the company’s transition to a new era.

 

Layout Configuration

The new building is divided into three functional zones. In the first, and in direct relation to the public character of the street, the offices were placed on an elevated level, offering the best view to the employees, both to the exterior surrounding and the production space.

The ground floor area houses the assembly room and the company’s museum exhibits. The second, intermediate zone, is the new production unit, which is adjacent to the office space.

The third zone houses the warehouses, located in the most private and inner area of the site and a short distance from the existing storage units. This layout minimizes the physical distance and transportation between the different business functions and prevents the workers and finished products from being exposed to the exterior environmental conditions of the site.

 

Hybrid Functionalities

The integration of the office spaces with the production unit is achieved through the use of interior transparency. The offices are located at an elevated level and communicate visually through glass panels with each other and with the production unit, thus enhancing the sense of team spirit that reflects the company’s culture.

 

Sustainable Design

The building’s energy performance is highlighted by the use of perforated sheet metal shading panels and the design of an internal atrium that provides natural lighting and ventilation to both the offices and the production unit.

Social core

The hotel, located on the homonymous beach of Mykonos, consists of 24 suites of varying typology and rich common areas. It represents a modernization and architectural expansion of a small existing unit, part of which was demolished for the needs of the composition.

 

Design concept

The design aim was to create an internal communal focal point for the hotel complex. Thus, a water core was constructed at its centre, an inner courtyard dominated by a swimming pool around which the public spaces and suites are developed. Important design parameters were also the spatial coherence of the expansion with the existing section, optimal hotel functionality, room privacy and the quality of the view.

 

Functional organization and orientation

Both communal spaces and rooms face the inner courtyard and the pool, a relaxation area with wooden decks, sun loungers, low sofas, and a bar. Ground-floor rooms of the new building enjoy direct access to the pool from private courtyards, while those on the upper floor have access to private terraces overlooking the pool, beach and sea, just a breathe away from the complex. The floor area creates semi-outdoor spaces that function as circulation areas or living areas for the ground-floor suites. Access to the new buildings is around their perimeter, leaving the inner courtyard free of movement. A sloping walkway leads to the courtyards and entrances of the preserved section and is separated from the pool level by planting partitions

 

Material Alternation

For shading and protection of the privacy of the courtyards, wooden pergolas with bamboo cladding in natural shades and retractable shading membranes in off-white color were designed. The alternation of white and stone blocks is characteristic. White, lime-washed walls without guides, untreated stone masonry, and cementitious materials dominate both the building and the landscape. Olive trees, mottles, and herbs delineate the spaces and enrich the hotel’s environment.